ArcaMax

Our kids are fortunate to be growing up in the most progressive and exciting time in history. Sadly, the very culture that offers them the world is also perpetrating this lie: "You are entitled to have everything you want, even if you don't have the money to pay for it. It's not a problem. You deserve it. Get it now, and you can pay for it later...Read more

I wish I had a quarter for every stupid purchase I've made in my life. I'd have some major dough. Regrettably, my financial faux pas have been remarkable in both quantity and quality. I've made some real doozies.

Take the above-ground swimming pool. Its a la carte price was bad enough. Adding everything required but not included took it from ...Read more

Perhaps this has happened to you: You've lived with carpeting, and then for one reason or another you live with hardwood or some other type of hard surface flooring that shows up every little bit of dust and dirt. You can't believe it! You can sweep or vacuum one day and by the next morning, the dust and dirt have returned.

Of course, we think ...Read more

I have wonderful news for anyone who has spent the summer looking through dirty windows while steadfastly refusing to wash them. You weren't procrastinating.

You were waiting for September.

I realize this may sound suspiciously convenient, but some household chores really do make more sense when summer is winding down and cooler weather is on ...Read more

Money is the most difficult subject to discuss between two people in love. Why? Several reasons:

It's personal. We're taught as children to never ask how much people earn, what things cost or how much money people have. It's rude; it's poor manners; and it is just not done.

We spend the first two decades of our lives keeping anything related ...Read more

Buying in bulk is an article of faith in these cost-conscious times, and judging by the boom in discount warehouse paradises and mega-markets, the trend is showing no sign of slacking. But is bulk buying really the answer to our prayers?

That depends. When you first visit a discount warehouse, it's stunning -- aisle after aisle of gift packages...Read more

One day the market is crashing, inflation is climbing. The next day it seems like everything's coming up roses. No matter how the economy's swinging, your mortgage and car payments are still lurking in the shadows, waiting to pounce. And then there are the big-ticket items. A busted water heater often comes without warning and with the potential...Read more

I have a confession to make.

When I see "Dry Clean Only" on a clothing label, I don't automatically head for the dry cleaner.

I pause.

Then I ask myself whether the garment is truly asking for professional care -- or whether the manufacturer is simply taking the safest possible position.

A tailored wool suit? Absolutely. A structured blazer ...Read more

Have you ever discovered you're all out of a certain ingredient when you're in the middle of preparing a recipe? I hate when that happens. And I don't want to run to the store.

For me, an unscheduled trip like that could easily cost $40, maybe more. That's just how impulsive I can be. I've learned that when I'm in a pinch, I need a pinch hitter...Read more

You need more money, and you need it now. What are your choices? You have two: You can increase your income, or you can reduce your spending.

There are several ways you can increase your income:

INCREASE INCOME

Get a bigger paycheck. Ask for a raise; land a new job that pays a lot more; or get a second (or third) job to supplement your income...Read more

Frozen fruits and vegetables take a lot of heat because most people assume that, if it's frozen, it must be of a lesser quality and nutritional value than the same items fresh in the produce department.

Is it true? Is fresh really better than frozen? And if so, is the difference great enough to spend more money to make sure we're always eating ...Read more

Dropping off a box of donations always feels good. You clean out a closet, gather up things you no longer use, and drive away with that wonderful sense of accomplishment. The house is less cluttered, someone else may benefit from your generosity, and everybody wins.

Well ... almost everybody.

The people who sort donations at thrift stores will...Read more

Dear Mary: My wife and I made a terrible mistake and bought a house that I don't think we can afford. We dumped all of our money from the sale of our last home into it and now we have run out of money. It is not even close to being done. My wife is a stay-at-home mother of three and I work full time. I bring home about $5,500 per month with a ...Read more

If money is leaking out of your household and you aren't quite sure where it's going, I have an idea: fast food. Busy households mean tired parents, and that can easily result in getting takeout two or three times a week. Does anything here sound familiar?

The last thing you need is for someone to tell you to get a grip and plan ahead! So I won...Read more

The dishwasher was crammed full of dirty dishes, company would be arriving shortly and (wouldn't you know it) I had only enough detergent to fill one of the two dispensers in my dishwasher. I decided to use what I had and hope for the best.

Amazingly, my dishes got just as clean as when I previously would fill both receptacles. To my disgrace, ...Read more

There must be something about getting organized that convinces perfectly rational people they need to go shopping first.

One trip through a home organization store and suddenly you're staring at rows of matching bins, stackable containers, drawer inserts, baskets, labels and gadgets you never knew existed. Before long, you've spent enough to ...Read more

At the foundation of your children's financial intelligence should be this undeniable truth: It is not the amount of money you have but what you do with it that matters.

This is true for a child managing a $5-a-week allowance or a corporate executive with a $5,000-a-week salary.

For the better part of my life, I didn't know this truth. On the ...Read more

I have been told if you attempt to pop a frog into a pot of boiling water, he'll jump out every time.

But if you put the little fellow into a pot of cold water, set it on a low flame, and warm it slowly, he'll sit back, relax and let you cook him to death.

The frog is so impressed by the nice warm, cozy feeling he doesn't pay attention to what...Read more

Dear Cheapskate: This is petty perhaps, but how does one ever completely pay off a credit card account?

We paid off a credit card recently (Hallelujah!) by sending a check for the exact amount of the balance due taken from the monthly statement. The following month we received a bill for $1.91 -- all of it a finance charge! Sure, it's not much,...Read more

You've finally done it.

After weeks of watching tiny armies march across the patio, tunnel through the lawn, or pop up between steppingstones, you located the ant hill and treated it. Victory at last.

Or so you thought.

A few days later, there they are again. Maybe not in the exact same spot but close enough to make you wonder if they're ...Read more